PSC Issues Warning Over Fake Recruitment Letters Circulating in Public

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has warned members of the public and government institutions against fake recruitment letters circulating.

In a notice on Tuesday, November 3, the commission clarified that the letters, which claim to communicate decisions approving recruitment in different government departments, were not issued by the PSC.

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“The Public Service Commission (PSC) wishes to notify the public that circulating letters purporting to approve recruitment in various State Departments are FAKE and did not originate from the Commission," the notice read.

The letters, bearing the commission's name and official markings, purported to communicate recruitment approvals to several government departments.

Among the documents were letters dated September 23, 2026, addressed to the Principal Secretaries in the State Department for Forestry and the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action.

Another letter dated October 15, 2026, was addressed to the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Works.

The documents purported to communicate the commission's approval of recruitment following requests submitted by the Executive Office of the President and consideration of the establishment of the respective State Departments.

They also contained instructions on the recruitment of officers into designated positions, including details on remuneration, verification and onboarding processes.

However, the PSC warned government institutions and members of the public against relying on the documents or taking any action based on their contents.

"The public and Government institutions are cautioned against acting on them," the notice added.

This comes days after a recruitment agency director who allegedly defrauded 29 Kenyans of approximately Ksh15 million through a fake overseas employment scheme was arrested and arraigned in court after nearly two years on the run.

In a statement on Friday, October 30, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the suspect as Isaac Kipkemei Barmasai, the sole director of Eldoret-based recruitment agency, Proline Travel Advisors Limited.

The suspect was arrested by a team of detectives drawn from DCI Headquarters, the Operations Action Team (OAT) and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), working alongside their counterparts from DCI Turbo.

"A notorious fraud suspect who had been on the run for nearly two years over a Ksh15 million overseas employment scam has finally been arrested and arraigned in court," the statement read.

Barmasai is accused of targeting Kenyans seeking employment opportunities abroad by allegedly promising them lucrative jobs in several foreign countries.

The recruitment agency reportedly advertised opportunities in Sweden, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada, convincing unsuspecting job seekers to pay recruitment and processing fees in anticipation of securing employment.

However, the promised overseas employment opportunities allegedly never materialised, leaving the victims financially defrauded.

"Barmasai is accused of orchestrating a fraudulent recruitment scheme that preyed on unsuspecting Kenyans seeking greener pastures abroad," the statement added.

According to the DCI, the alleged fraud was carried out through his recruitment agency, with victims paying different amounts in exchange for promised overseas job placements.

The investigations established that the scheme operated between 2023 and 2024, with individual victims losing hundreds of thousands of shillings.

"Between 2023 and 2024, victims were defrauded of amounts ranging from Ksh200,000 to Ks1 million, ostensibly as processing and recruitment fees for the promised overseas placements," the statement further read.

According to the DCI, the number of reported victims has since risen to 29, with detectives recording statements from those who came forward to report the alleged scam.

"So far, 29 victims have come forward, recording statements with detectives, with the total reported losses estimated at approximately Ksh15 million," the statement noted.